Gemütlich
by AzureMischief
Summary: (*German: "Cosy") A "Nutcracker" spin-off of sorts, set after Marie and the Nutcracker's own happy ending. Christian Elias Drosselmeyer is finally a married man - and LOVES it. To the point the cosiness and his wife's love literally settle on him. :)
1. Uhrmacher Knurrmacher

_**Author's note:**_ The whole story had been inspired by a certain, very cosy scene from Lacewood Productions's **The Nutcracker Prince.**

For those who don't know Martha yet, _**she is not in my way my OWN OC.**_ She'd been created for "Nutcracker: Steampunk", a rather unusual take on original Hoffmann's tale created by the S. A. D. Theater in Moscow. I learned about this version in March 2016, and loved her - and the idea that Christian is now happily married - right away. The creators courteously let me use her in fanstuff, so here comes :)

(There are also illustrations to both chapter on my dA!)

* * *

It's their fourth Christmas together; for the fourth time, they are invited to the Stahlbaums, and here they are, Carl Stahlbaum himself greeting them in his mansion. Once more, a "Drossel, old boy!" and a hearty pat on the back – for her husband; and a "Martl, dear", followed by a small peck on her hand, – for her.

Once more, a Christmas feast – the one Mr. Stahlbaum had always been known around the town for – accompanied by a long talk, a few gentle "just one more bit, for _me_ , Christian…" Martha manages to slip in as it lasts, and just as many slight nods and radiant smiles from Christian, meaning _if this makes you happy_.

"Watch out, Martha", laughs Mrs. Stahlbaum, nodding at her husband's sizeable girth. "You don't want him to end up like _that_ ". To which Carl just waves a hand with a chuckle. "Posh pish, the lad's been a twig for as long as I know him."

It is true: fiery magic flowing through him makes all food melt away like snow in the spring sun. Unlike his cousin, Christian will be a twig in no time, but the way he sits back right now, the velvet waistcoat curving outwards ever so _slightly_ , just makes Martha's heart ache with tenderness. The Stahlbaums are too carried away to notice that – carried away with her spouse telling about Hans, Marie and how well and wisely Marie rules the beautiful kingdom along with her prince now.

Martha already _is_ happy. This family is wonderful; worthy of being saved by her Christian long ago. They had always been treating him as a fellow family member – just like they treat _her_ now: with love, respect and this little bit of jest – and it reflects on his face and entire being, the sheer delight, this time enhanced by _her_ presence.

She leaves him in the chair as Mrs. Stahlbaum introduces her to a few newly-arrived guests, all of whom seem to be simply fascinated by her dress ("a little bit eccentric but so _yours_ , truly yours, Mrs. Drosselmeyer!") – to find him later, standing at the window, aside from the crowd, and sneak up.

Christian winces a bit as her delicate hands rest on his waistcoat – only to cover them with his own bony one and lean into her arms with a sigh of content. Is that just him, or even the starry night behind the window seems warmer simply because _she_ is here, rubbing soothing circles into his velvet-clad middle?

"So you love seeing me rival my cousin?", he smiles.

"Nuh-uh." Martha nuzzles his shoulder. "Just seeing how cosy you are, Uhrmacher…" She chuckles – probably from a little quiet noise of delight beneath her palm – and corrects herself, "... _Knurr_ macher"*.

* * *

*Uhrmacher" is German for "clockmaker". Martha came up with a pun that roughly would mean "Growlmaker". :]


	2. Almondous

_**Author's note:**_ Blame the 1993 _Nutcracker_ with Mасаulay Сulkin. Whoever watched it, probably remembers Drossy trying out the Nutcracker toy before a crowd of children and eating the first nut by himself. ^_^ Seriously, so cute I even broke the usual "no bellyssimos for Dross" for once. Hard to say whether I'd been imagining this one or my favorite _Lacewood_ one as I wrote this. Nope, he won't stay like that for long - give him a day or so and he's back to his twiggy self :]

The term _almondous_ is a rough translation of a Russian term, meaning "acting all lovey-dovey/friendly" (usually with a person who doesn't deserve it. Martha deserves.)

* * *

It was hard to believe. Had Drosselmeyer been a regular human, it would seem absolutely foreign and strange to him. But with his current, magic-inhanced, semi-toy body, it seemed only natural that it had just fit in about a couple jugs of almond milk, and that Martha, admiring him with utmost delight and love, strokes soothing circles on his middle – which, by now, was nearly resting on his lap, almost like his cousin's, the velvet waistcoat stretched over it.

She'd been admiring him like that since the moment he knelt by the Lake of Almond Milk and tasted the first handful of it. She handed him a wafer lily flower that would serve as a cup and would be more comfortable to drink from. She didn't say a word after the flower melted in his mouth after all the milk, – only planted a kiss just under his sternum, at the very beginning of the soft, velvet-clad curve.

With the massage and the way Martha was looking at him, all Drosselmeyer could do was relax and reward her with a radiant smile. It just looked like Martha found a somewhat tricky way to fill him up with her love – making it rather visible. _Audible_ , even; he blushed, thinking how out-of-place these bubbles might possibly sound on a regular dinner… but not here, in one of the most quiet corners of the Land of Sweets. The clockmaker's face glowed again at Martha's touch, as if he still couldn't fully believe it all was happening to **him**.

"So this is what…", a mere glimpse of a thought crossed his mind before it got once again flooded with sheer bliss. "This is what being mar… being **loved** means".

The thought got echoed by yet another bubble – right into Martha's palm as she rested a hand on his waist. "Uhrmacher", she whispered, giving it a gentle pat. " _Knurr_ macher… So wonderful…"

Nestled by Drosselmeyer's side like that, she reminded him of a baby chick, – a thrush chick, for the first part of their surnames was **Drossel** , a thrush. Before long he felt the last remains of the wafer flower getting dissolved by magic – for there was too much milk for him **alone**. A big, strong thrush feeding his mate; what a wonderful thought. He gave Martha a quick, playful glance, as the magic coated all the way from his stomach to throat, and –

– pressed a kiss to her lips; or so Martha thought for the first few moments. Then came a delicate, nutty and a bit sweet, taste that startled her at first – but soon calmed back down as it dawned on her. Having spent so much time within her husband, warmed and saturated with his magic sparkles, the former almond milk turned into a true essence of Drosselmeyer, and this was what he decided to share with her.

"She's but a small chick". A warm thought washed over the clockmaker as he kept feeding his wife the elixir, little by little. "My tiny, hungry chick; I can't do less for **you** ".

By the time their lips parted, the slightly slimmer Drosselmeyer gave Martha another glance – a much longer, almost fatherly, _sleep well_ one, – before he drew her closer to himself and both closed their eyes, surrounded with a golden glow.


End file.
